Marcahuamachuco
Marcahuamachuco is a site of Pre-Incan ruins in the La Libertad Region of Peru. Although less known, it has been referred to by archaeologists as "Machu Picchu of the North" and "The Jewel of La Libertad."[1]
History
Construction of Marcahuamachuco began around 400 AD -- prior to the imperial expansion of the Incas and the Huari -- and continued until approximately 800 AD. Before being conquered by the Incas, Marcahuamachuco was known as Peru's most important political, economic and military center.[2]
The Site
Marcahuamachuco is set atop the nexus of three mountain valleys at an altitude of more than 3,200 meters (10,000 feet). Encompassing more than three kilometres of land, the site is celebrated for its massive castillos and unique circular double-walled archaeological structures. Over many centuries, however, the ruins have been degraded by natural elements, and today face accelerating threats from grazing livestock, plant growth, lack of conservation and surveillance, and the continued effects of natural elements and weather. The site's location, in the northern Peruvian highlands of La Libertad, was until recently a difficult to access place. Today a new road makes it accessible on three and a half hours ride from the city of Trujillo, the third largest on the country´s Pacific coast, and location of major Moche heritage sites.
Conservation
In May 2011, Global Heritage Fund (GHF), a non-profit organization whose mission is to save endangered cultural heritage sites in developing countries, announced that it will provide funding and technical expertise for the first conservation program in Marcahuamachuco's history. [3] This will include scientific planning, GIS and mapping, archaeological conservation, and community development and training of guides, artisans, and local conservation workers.
Marcahuamachuco is GHF's second project in Peru; the organization has also been working since 2004 to preserve Chavín de Huántar.